Cessna 177RG accident near Hazard, Kentucky, January 5, 1986
On January 5, 1986 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N97TC, was destroyed in an accident near Hazard, Kentucky (Hazard airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 1986 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hazard, Kentucky · Hazard · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N97TC · no longer on the register · serial 177RG0951
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT CALLED THE ARPT ON UNICOM AND ASKED HOW TO FIND THE ARPT, STATED THAT HE NEEDED FUEL AND ASKED IF FUEL WAS AVAILABLE. HE WAS GIVEN DIRECTIONS AND ASKED IF HE HAD LANDED THERE BEFORE. HE REPLIED NO, AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. IT WAS EXPLAINED TO HIM. HE WAS OBSERVED APPROACHING THE ARPT FROM THE NE AND FLYING DOWN THE VALLEY. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN INSIDE THE VALLEY, OVER SHOT THE TURN AND CRASHED INTO THE ROCK FACE OF A CUT ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ARPT. LESS THAN ONE GAL OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT WING. THERE WAS NO FUEL FOUND IN THE RIGHT WING. THE PAX STATED THAT THEY HAD JUST HEADED NORTH TOWARD HOME AND DID NOT HAVE A REFUELING STOP PLANNED AT ANY SPECIAL PLACE. THERE WAS NO FLT PLAN. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW ABOUT 1 HR AND 28 MIN ON THE DAY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. (NORMAL FUEL CONSUMPTION 10.8 GPH). RECORDS SHOW THAT ONLY 7 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED AT KAY LARKIN AIRPORT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 640 hours in all; 562 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 535 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,503 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 8, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 28J Palatka FL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 75G Manchester MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,300 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:04 pm from LOZ, 43 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.